Black Pastors Group Criticizes Ohio For New Rules That Limit Early Voting

A group representing African-American pastors is criticizing new rules that limit early voting in Ohio, saying that the changes will dampen black turnout.

The voting rules would affect several counties in the state, including those with big cities that lean Democratic, such as Cleveland, Akron, Columbus and Toledo. Under the rules, people can only cast votes between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. -- hours when many people are working. The laws also cut down the number of weekends in which people Those cities also boast substantial African-American populations.

"There are politicians doing the unthinkable: they are making it harder for their constituents to exercise our constitutionally guaranteed right to vote," said Rev. Tony Minor of the African American Ministers Leadership Council, in a statement. "And once again, these suppression efforts are aimed directly at African Americans in swing states.”

“We have strengthened our efforts to educate our congregations and our communities about their rights and their civic responsibilities," he added.

A studyfrom a group called Northeast Ohio Voter Advocates found that African Americans were disproportionately represented among early voters in the state. (While African Americans of voting age made made up only 28 percent of the population of Cuyahoga County, where Cleveland is located, 56 percent of early voters there were black.)

But several traditionally Republican counties in Ohio have extended their hours. In addition, the new early voting rules also did not affect military voters, who also tend to vote for Republicans.

“Voters have a responsibility to empower themselves,” said Mike Brickner of the ACLU in a statement. “But elections officials also have a responsibility to help them by instituting fair and consistent rules.”

A study released by the Urban League in July found that President Obama would have a difficult time winning the Buckeye State if black turnout dipped from its record height of 96 percent in 2008 back down to 2004 levels.